Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Clarkson Valley, MO
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Clarkson Valley, MO. Dogs are beloved pets and, to some, even considered members of our family or fellow staff members. A lot of us have dogs at home in Clarkson Valley, MO and interacting with any dog can bring us a lot of joy. However, dogs are animals and cannot communicate with us verbally. Whether they felt threatened, were sick or for one reason or another were prompted to act on their instincts to attack, when a dog bites you, you should be compensated. There are Clarkson Valley and Missouri laws in place and many things responsible pet owners can do to mitigate the risk of an attack, but dog bites and dog bite injuries still occur in Clarkson Valley, MO. When you or someone you know becomes the victim of a dog bite, it is our job to help you recover fair compensation.
If your or someone you love has been injured in a dog bite incident, contact Combs Waterkotte today at (314) 900-HELP. Our Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injury lawyers represent each case with compassion and fervor. You did not deserve to be injured and you should not have to deal with the consequences on your own. Our laws in Missouri offer you a path for recourse to recover full compensation for the full extent of the losses you have experienced because of your injuries, but for a chance to receive the full value of your damages, you will likely need a skilled Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injury lawyer fighting by your side. Our team of competitive attorneys have the skills and resources to make sure you are made whole again and allowed to move forward from this experience. Review your Clarkson Valley, MO case with Combs Waterkotte for free today. Begin by reaching us now.
What compensation can my Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injury lawyer help me receive?
Each dog bite injury case in the Clarkson Valley, MO area is different and it is normal to experience anxiety and uncertainly about your case after being injured by a dog. The amount in damages you could recover in your Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite case ranges anywhere from $10,000 for minor but demonstrable injuries to more than $100,000 for bites that result in more serious, permanent damage and costly medical care. Remember, though, that to truly understand the possible settlement amount you can recover for your Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injuries, speak to a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Clarkson Valley, MO about your case. Among other outside variables, the amount of compensation you can recovery depends on the extent of the damages or losses you have experienced.
Damages you can recover in a dog bite injury case in Clarkson Valley, MO include:
- Medical expenses
- Ambulance bill
- Emergency room fees
- Hospital stay costs
- Doctors’ bills
- Surgery
- Costs of treatment
- Prescriptions
- Physical therapy, chiropractic, and other outpatient care
- Mental health counseling
- Physical pain
- Emotional and psychological suffering
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Lost wages
- Lost future earning capacity
- Loss of benefits
The final dollar amount you recover is determined by a combination of many factors, including whether or not you hire a lawyer in Clarkson Valley, MO. It is important to note that a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Clarkson Valley, MO will not take on your case unless we can add value, meaning we will not agree to work for you unless we believe we can help you recover more money than you would be able to recover by yourself. This includes the contingency-fee-basis on which we operate, which means that Combs Waterkotte will not bill you for anything unless your Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injury lawyer wins your case. At that point, we accept payment through a percentage of your total settlement once you receive your payment. That means our experienced dog bite injury lawyers in the Clarkson Valley, MO area offer our dedicated representation at no out-of-pocket costs to you. You have nothing to lose by contacting our Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injury lawyer team to discuss your case and learn how we can help.
How much can I get for my case with a dog bite injury lawyer in Clarkson Valley, MO?
On average, a victim in a dog bite injury case can recover about $40,000 for a “severe but typical dog bite injury”, while dog bites that cause permanent scarring and disfigurement could bring closer to $100,000 and permanent disabilities caused by dog bites can result in settlements of over $200,000.
While we wish we could promise an exact number, these averages do not guarantee anything for your particular case outcome. Because your recovery depends on the unique circumstances and characteristics of your individual case, you need to speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Clarkson Valley, MO. Turn to the Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite attorneys of Combs Waterkotte and ask us to review your dog bite injury case today.
Factors That Influence the Value of a Dog Bite Case
The following factors determine the value of your case:
- You have scarring or are disfigured as a result of the dog bite.
- The dog bite has made you permanently disabled.
- You need emergency medical care due to your dog bite injuries.
- Your injuries require you to undergo surgery or receive other extensive medical care.
- You suffered psychological harm from the dog bite incident that required professional mental health treatment.
When you hire Combs Waterkotte, your Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injury lawyer will remain committed to investigating and proving the statements above that apply in your case. We put the full weight of our resources behind obtaining evidence, evaluating liability and building an infallible argument to get you the best possible outcome in your Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injury claim.
In addition to the situation surrounding the accident and the extent of your injuries, the total recovery your Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injury lawyer can get you will also depend on other factors, such as:
- Who is liable for the dog bite
- The liable party’s insurance coverage policy limits
- The sum of the economic damages you have suffered as a result of the bite, including the total cost of all of your medical bills
- How your dog bite injury lawyer calculates the value of your non-economic damages
- How effectively your dog bite injury lawyer negotiates and how resistant the defendant is
On average, settlements in personal injury claims like dog attacks are around three times higher for plaintiffs who hire a dog bite injury lawyer for representation than for those in dog bite cases who attempt to settle their case without legal representation. Discover how Combs Waterkotte can help you collect a higher, more just settlement in your Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite case by calling us at (314) 900-HELP today to ask an experienced Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injury lawyer about your case.
Clarkson Valley, MO Dog Bite Injury Lawyer: Who Is Liable
To successfully collect a complete settlement that makes you whole after being harmed in a dog bite incident, you will need to work with your Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injury lawyer to determine who to file a claim against and who, in turn, is responsible for your damages.
The idea of liability in a dog bite or any personal injury case has to do with who is at fault for your losses. With a Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Clarkson Valley, MO, you have a professional who is well-acquainted with Missouri law and has seen many different situations related to liability in dog bites and other personal injury cases. We will make sure we hold the right people accountable and make sure they pay for the losses you have suffered.
In Missouri, Revised Statute Section 273.036 makes our state one that practices strict liability in dog bite injury cases. Strict liabillity assigns legal accountability to a party — in this case, the dog owner — regardless of their intention or whether there was fault. That means that your Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injury attorney does not necessarily have to demonstrate that the dog owner was negligent or had the dog attack you on purpose. In your Missouri dog bite injury case, all you need to prove is that you were injured and it was the owner’s dog that injured you. Specifically, the Missouri statute lays out that the Clarkson Valley or Missouri dog bite owner is legally responsible for your injuries if:
- you were injured as a result of a dog bite;
- you were on public property or were on a private property legally (in other words, you were not trespassing); and
- you did nothing to provoke the dog to attack.
If you were bitten by a dog that you did not provoke and you were not trespassing, your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer in Clarkson Valley, MO will use our expertise to get you a fair settlement in your strict liability claim against the owner of the dog, and typically it is the dog owner’s homeowners or renters insurance that pays out the settlement for your damages. However, there may be other types of liability and parties who are to blame for your dog bite injures, too.
- Negligence: You may have a negligence claim if a person was negligent, either in their actions or failure to act, in their duty to keep you safe. Someone who lets their dog roam the neighborhood freely or fails to crate their anxious dog when strangers or children visit their home could be considered negligent and your Combs Waterkotte dog bite injury lawyer will diligently hold them accountable in a negligence case. If a property owner or landlord was aware of but neglected to fix a broken fence and a tenant’s dog got out of the property and bit someone, the landlord may be negligent.
- Negligence per se: Negligence per se is when a party is legally liable by the act of breaking a law. Rather than comparing the defendant’s behavior to that of a reasonable person in the same situation, your Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite lawyer proves that the person is liable for your injuries because of the simple fact that they broke a law that was meant to protect you. For example, some cities and municipalities have laws that require owners to keep their dogs on leashes or prohibit dogs from being on others’ properties without permission from the property owner. If the person in possession of the dog violated one of these rules and their dog bit you, ask your attorney about a possible case of negligence per se.
Who is responsible for my dog bite damages?
Due to the potential for negligence claims beyond the strict liability statute in Missouri, you may have a case against other parties in addition to the owner of the dog. Depending on considerations such as who was involved, where the bite occurred, and what the parties in question did or did not do, your dog bite injury lawyer in Clarkson Valley, MO may build a case against other parties in your Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite case, such as:
- Landlords
- Stores
- Employers
- Government organizations
- Dog walkers
- Places of business where dogs are present, such as pet stores, dog daycare facilities, etc.
If you or someone you love have been injured in a dog bite incident but you believe that additional parties share the blame or that the owner has more blame than strict liability accounts for, take the first step toward your recovery and speak to a dog bite injury lawyer in Clarkson Valley, MO about your case as soon as possible. Combs Waterkotte has a dedicated team of talented Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injury attorneys ready to fight for your recovery and make the right parties pay. You did not deserve to be attacked or harmed, and you should be made whole through all avenues of compensation Missouri law provides. The legal team at Combs Waterkotte will get you a just recovery. Call us now at (314) 900-HELP.
Our Clarkson Valley, MO attorneys have the skill and experience necessary to bring you justice in any type of personal injury or criminal case. Some of our practice area specialties include:
Dog Bite Injury Lawyer Clarkson Valley, Missouri: Talk to a Lawyer Today
After facing the unexpected tragedy of a dog bite injury, a dog bite injury lawyer in Clarkson Valley, MO with Combs Waterkotte will work hard to bring you justice. A dog bite is usually a traumatic experience, and the physical and psychological injuries it leaves can affect your life in profound, unrelenting ways. Give yourself a chance to receive the recovery you deserve by consulting with an accomplished Clarkson Valley, MO dog bite injury lawyer today.
As your dog bite injury lawyer, we make it our mission to secure just compensation for you when a life-changing incident such as a dog attack causes you harm. After being bitten and injured by a dog, call Combs Waterkotte right away at (314) 900-HELP or reach us online to discover how we can help you with your case.